KTM RC 160 Spied

KTM IS FIXING ITS BIGGEST MISTAKE. THE NEW RC 160 IS A BEAST.

Let’s be honest: the KTM RC 125 was a hard sell. It looked great, but it was expensive and, frankly, a bit slow compared to the Yamaha R15.

But KTM has a solution. The much-anticipated KTM RC 160 has been spied testing again, and this time, it looks production-ready. The latest spy shots show the bike in a striking new orange paint scheme, confirming that the launch is very close.

Here is our simple expert analysis of why this bike is going to be a nightmare for the Yamaha R15 V4.

Also Read –Upcoming Bikes in India 2026 Under 6 Lakhs – TVS, RE, KTM, Hero & More

THE ENGINE UPGRADE: 19 PS VS 18.4 PS

The biggest news is the engine. The RC 160 will ditch the small 125cc motor and use the powerful 164cc liquid-cooled engine from the new 160 Duke.

This changes everything in the spec sheet battle:

KTM RC 160 (Expected): 19 PS Power / 15.5 Nm Torque
Yamaha R15 V4: 18.4 PS Power / 14.2 Nm Torque

Verdict: The KTM finally has the muscle to beat the R15. The extra torque (15.5 Nm vs 14.2 Nm) will make it much punchier in city traffic and faster off the line.

DESIGN AND FEATURES: WHAT WE SAW

The spy shots reveal that the RC 160 will borrow heavily from its naked sibling, the 160 Duke, to keep costs down.

Dashboard: It gets the same LCD instrument console as the 160 Duke (not the fancy TFT color screen from the 390).
Wheels: It uses the same lightweight alloy wheels.
Looks: It keeps the sharp, aerodynamic bodywork of the bigger RC 200, including the LED headlight setup.

EXPECTED PRICE AND LAUNCH

The KTM RC 160 Spied test mule looks ready to hit the showroom. We expect a launch in early 2026 (Jan-March).

Price Estimate:

KTM 160 Duke Price: ~₹1.71 Lakh
Estimated RC 160 Price: ~₹1.80 Lakh (Ex-showroom)

This pricing is aggressive. It sits right next to the top-spec Yamaha R15 V4 (~₹1.82 Lakh) and the Hero Karizma XMR (~₹1.80 Lakh).

OUR EXPERT VERDICT

The KTM RC 160 is the bike we always wanted. It fixes the biggest flaw of the RC 125 (lack of power) while keeping the sharp handling and premium feel of a KTM.

If KTM prices this around ₹1.80 Lakh, it will offer more power and torque than the R15 for roughly the same money. Yamaha should be worried.

What do you think? Would you choose the new RC 160 over the R15 V4? Share your thoughts below.

Source